Continuing bus driver shortage in Savannah-Chatham schools leads to bell time change proposal

Because of an ongoing bus driver shortage in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System as well as the need for consistent bell schedules, district administrators are proposing new bell times at three K-8 schools, one middle school and 12 elementary schools for both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. Bell times for high schools, charter schools and alternative learning centers will not change.

For the second year, the district will not provide transportation to students who attend choice schools. "We do not have the capacity to provide choice transportation," said Tammy Perkins, lead director for the district's transportation department.

During the 2021-22 school year, bells at K-8 schools rang at 8:15 a.m. to start the day and at 3:15 p.m. when school finished. The proposal adjusts bell schedules for Godley Station K-8, New Hampstead K-8 and Rice Creek K-8 ti align more closely with their respective geographic areas.

Godley Station K-8's school day will run from 7:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. New Hampstead will start at 8:40 a.m. and end at 3:40 p.m. Rice Creek K-8 will start school at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.

One goal of the revised schedules is to improve student arrival times. Perkins said in western Chatham County, the district has had problems with on-time arrival for students because of increasing traffic due to residential and industrial development. This new schedule will allow Godley Station drivers to drop off in the morning and then pick students for Rice Creek and New Hampstead.

Mercer Middle School's start time will move from 7:40 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The school day will now end at 3 p.m.

While a new K-12 multi-campus is under construction, Groves High School relocated to  the Mercer Middle School site at 201 Rommel Ave.

Other middle schools in the district will maintain their current bell times of 7:40 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.

The bell schedules for Bloomingdale, Butler, Gadsden, Garden City, Gould, May Howard, Jacob G. Smith, Juliette Gordon Low, Pooler, Pulaski, Shuman and Windsor Forest elementary schools will change to a start time of 9:15 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m., a 15-minute difference from this past school year.

The proposed changes will make the 12 schools consistent with the other elementary schools in the district.

This isn't the first time the district has had to change its bell schedule. In July 2021, the district modified bell schedules for K-8 schools in order to address the bus driver shortage. During the week of May 16, the district sent out parent and staff surveys to help determine new bell schedules.

Transportation issues continue 

As of March 22, SCCPSS employed 247 drivers for 425 buses to run 220 routes to deliver more than 14,460 students to their schools. (20,675 students are zone eligible.) According to the district, on average, 25 drivers are out on family medical leave and 17 bus drivers call out weekly, leading the district to run short at least 15 drivers daily.

Without a deeper bench of substitute drivers, the district uses coaches, para professionals, administrators, mechanics, supervisors and administrate staff to drive school bus routes.

Perkins said the bus routes operate on a three-tier approach, which includes providing multiple bus routes to serve both a high school and middle school. "It's better when you have that same bus that can do two tiers or three tiers, because you're getting more use out of that bus. So, when you go in and you adjust the bell schedule, and you spread the time out, then you're able to use that bus on more tear each day."